The Road to Her Smile
by Strike Faster Than Starlight
Summary: With the Heaven's Feel finally over, Shirou begins to reflect.


Emiya Shirou being alive after the outcome of the last Heaven's Feel was something rather unexpected, not only for Tohsaka or Rider, but I myself was surprised by my survival. I thought that no matter what happened, my death was certain due to Heroic Spirit EMIYA's arm consuming my entire being and turning not just my mind into steel, but also destroying and skewering my body fromthe inside with an unlimited amount of blades. In a certain way, I guess I should be grateful that the blades were there in the first place since it kept my broken bones in place and served as some sort of a shield in my battle against Kotomine Kirei.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about still being alive, afterall, the instinct and will to survive is located in the very core of the human being, but, what leaves me heartbroken is _how_ I managed to stay alive. The answer is simple, Illya. That white haired girl with striking crimson eyes that held so much hatred towards her,no, _our_ father, Kiritsugu and that held so much bloodlust within her in the beginning of this God damned war between magi. This same girl who let go of her hatred and became someone special to me. She, who sacrificed herself to do something that I should have done, destroying the greater grail. Using the third true magic, she prevented the dispersion of my soul. I wish I could have done something to change the outcome, to save her and bring her back home, but I knew that this was a impossible wish. So, while my consciousness faded, I saw her bright and yet sad smile for the last time, before everything went black.

When I woke up again, the first thing I noticed was how everything looked so big and that I was not in my house. When I tried to move, I noted that I just _couldn't do it_. After that, I heard steps coming closer and closer, till the door of the room opened and Tohsaka, Rider and Sakura stepped in. At that moment, I had the confirmation that something was terribly wrong. When I managed to look at the mirror of Tosahka's room, I understood what was wrong. When Illya activated the Third true magic, she inserted my soul inside a doll. I didn't blame Illya for that decision, my body was already destroyed and was beyond saving and our time was limited,wich means,her options were limited too.

Tohsaka explained that they were already looking for a new body for me but that for now I would stay inside the doll. Those days were incredible uncomfortble since I couldn't do anything other than staying on the bed, imcapable of doing anything. After a month of search, Tohsaka brought some great news, they found a humanoid puppet that was made by a woman called Touko Aozaki, a famous mage and from many rumours, an incredible puppet maker. The process to insert my soul in my new artificial body took some time, but the results payed off. When it was over,I was quickly hugged by a sobbing Sakura,and while Rider maintained her stoic façade and Tohsaka tried to look indiferent, I could see a glint of happiness in their eyes.

After that, my recovery began. In the first days it was a little difficult to even walk, it felt as if my limbs were ten times heavier than normal. It took more or less two weeks for this discomfort to pass and I finally managed to do normal activities like cooking and physical exercises. When I returned to school, Issei questioned about my sudden disappearence. I managed to come up with a good lie, saying that I had gone to see a relative that was extremely sick, he just nodded and said that he hoped that this relative of mine got better. Fuji-nee also came everyday to my house again, I must be going crazy but I actually really missed her antics.

After graduation, Tohsaka was accepted in the clock tower and left Fuyuki to go study in London. I was happy for her since this was something she deserved, and also because she was a great magus and it would be a waste if she did not hone her skills and envolve as a magi. Sakura managed to make Rider be her familiar, that way, she wouldn't need to return to the Throne of Heroes for some time and, shortly after Tohsaka's departure, the two of them moved in to my house. Now, Two years after everthing, I can't help but look back and be amazed by how things turned out. Do I regret abandoning my ideal of being a hero of justice? Of betraying myself for Sakura's sake?

As I gaze at her while she chats lively with Fuji-nee and Rider, the answer instantly comes to my head...No, I don't regret anything. It was a rocky road, but everything was worth for the beautiful smile that now occupied her face.

In the end, the girl that could only smile to me, could now smile in front of other people as well, and this was enough for me.

 **AN: So... I sincerely don't know from where this came from, but I do admit that this was really fun to write haha.**


End file.
